Region Sees Job Growth Despite Jump in Unemployment Rate

posted by Jim Forsyth
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3 years ago

The region's economy continues to create jobs even though the eight county metro unemployment rate jumped in May, 1200 WOAI news reports.

The state showed a 19,500 increase in private sector jobs in May, with construction and health care begin the most robust sectors.

The state has added 324,000 jobs in the past twelve years, for 3.0% job growth, more than twice the national rate.

"I'm encouraged that Texas job seekers continue to find work," Texas Workforce Commissioner Ronny Congelton said. "Despite the slight increase in the unemployment rate in May, Texas' civilian labor force, the second largest in the nation, continues to grow."

The metro San Antonio unemployment rate jumped from 5.8% in April to 6.2% in May. But the rate for May of 2013 was significantly lower than the 6.5% metro jobless rate in May of 2012, and year to year rather than month to month is a far better gauge of job growth.

The size of the metro's total work force continues o grow, as evidence that people continue flocking to Metro San Antonio in search of work. The total metro work force in May was 1,029,000.